1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a workpiece conveying apparatus of a machine tool intended to convey a workpiece (including a material before machining) between a workpiece machining position and a workpiece carry-in-and-out position.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a machine tool, for example, a lathe, there is sometimes a case where a workpiece conveying apparatus is provided. The apparatus automatically performs a work such as of receiving a processed workpiece from a chuck of a main spindle at a machine machining position to thereby carry it out to a workpiece stocker provided at a carry-in-and-out position or receiving an unprocessed material from the workpiece stocker to fit it to the chuck.
As a workpiece conveying apparatus of this type, there is one structured to cover a frame member, a workpiece moving mechanism, and a support member supporting a workpiece gripping mechanism by a cover member, in which a slit groove passing through the support member outward is formed in the cover member (for example, see Patent document 1). [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-117760.
In the case of the workpiece conveying apparatus described in Patent document 1, the structure covering the frame member, the workpiece moving mechanism, and the support member by the cover member is adopted, in which the cover member is forced to have a large size to cover the entire length of the frame member together with the workpiece moving mechanism and the support member, causing problems that the entire apparatus is increased in size to the extent thereof and that cost is increased as well.